In this episode of #dkLa! Friends: Not Your CEO’s Corner, Layeh sits down with Michael Zislis, founder of JPN Guides, to explore the art of immersive travel in Japan.

Michael shares how cultural fluency, historical storytelling, and personalized planning can transform any trip into a deeper journey.

From local traditions to hidden gems, his approach encourages travelers to step off the beaten path and engage authentically with Japan’s past and present.

This is an episode about curiosity, respect, and the transformative power of travel — one guidebook at a time.

Welcome to the season finale of #dkLa! Friends – the Pride Month Special that wraps up our very first year of stories, surprises, and long-form conversations with creative minds.

Today’s guest is Alex Kingsley — writer, game designer, playwright, and comedic weirdo of the highest caliber. In a year that’s taken us across timelines, genres, and unexpected friendships, this feels like the right kind of strange to end on.

Alex is the author of Empress of Dust, a sci-fi debut that blends queerness and world-building with poetic precision, published by Space Wizard Science Fantasy. They’re also the voice behind The Strange Garden and Other Weird Tales — a collection that asks what it means to be strange, to be human, and to laugh through the uncanny.

In this episode, we talk creative process, queerness in genre fiction, and what it means to tell the truth… through something that feels delightfully unreal.

🌀 Expect:

Awkward joys of being "too weird" for the mainstream

How fiction holds queerness, grief, and love in the same breath

A full-circle reflection on indie storytelling and year one of #dkLa! Friends

🎧 This one’s for the misfits, the dreamers, the genre-hopping believers.

Because the strange things often end up being the true things.

Thanks for reading Real Anarchy: A #dkLa! Zine Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to a very special episode of #dkLa! Friends — Layeh’s Bookshelf, as we celebrate one year of this beautiful community... and Pride Month with a guest who embodies resilience, imagination, and the spirit of indie storytelling.

Meet Heather Tracy, writer, copy editor, and co-captain of the fiercely independent press Space Wizard Science Fantasy. Her debut novel, Only a Chapter, is a speculative romance that bends timelines, explores parallel realities, and holds within it a raw, personal reflection of her breast cancer journey — woven into a tale of love, queerness, and defiant hope.

Beyond the page, Heather is also the mastermind behind Melvin’s Travel Adventures, a travel agency designed for fellow nerds, offering curated ‘Nerdventures’ that make fandom dreams come true.

This episode is a joyful dive into:

📖 The power of writing as a form of survival and transformation

🌈 How queerness, community, and chosen family shape her creative world

💪 Turning adversity into art — and why speculative fiction is the perfect canvas for radical honesty

✈️ Her adventures in blending geek culture, travel, and storytelling

A tribute to the magic of indie publishing, the strength of queer stories, and the endless chapters we continue to write for ourselves.

Thanks for reading Real Anarchy: A #dkLa! Zine Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

He’s a (game-developing) grandfather, an award-winning author, and one of the most cherished voices in the #dkLa! Família.

This conversation was originally destined for Pirate Radio, but truth be told... it belongs right here on Layeh’s Bookshelf — where stories, creativity, and reinvention live.

In this episode, we dive into how Michael Pickard, multi-award-winning author and lifelong creative, embraced the radical power of letting go. From shedding careers that no longer served him to rewriting his identity through storytelling, Michael’s life is a masterclass in transformation.

🛠️ 28+ years in software and telecom

🍏 14 years in retail at Apple (yes... that Apple)

📚 Now 7 years (and counting) as a full-time author — with 11 novels, 3 children’s books, and a shelf of juried short stories

But this isn’t just about resumes and word counts.

It’s about the moment you look at everything you’ve built... and realize it’s time to Get Rid of It! — whether “it” is burnout, fear, comfort zones, or outdated definitions of success.

This is a conversation for anyone standing at the threshold of change... holding a suitcase full of “what was” while dreaming about “what could be.”

🎧 Pull up a chair. Let’s talk about letting go... to truly begin.

Thanks for reading Real Anarchy: A #dkLa! Zine Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

HAILS ALLE!

In Part 2 of our conversation with Ben Osgood, we step beyond the world of Oria and into the trenches of real life—where resilience, recovery, and reinvention take center stage.

💥 How 13 years in the military shaped not only his worldview but also his epic fantasy writing

🎲 The unexpected role of D&D, meme culture, and TikTok in fueling creativity

🌍 How world-building became a tool for personal healing

🫂 Why Ben is a fierce advocate for mental health, trauma recovery, and su1c!de prevention

This episode is a tribute—to survivors, to storytellers, and to anyone brave enough to write their next chapter after the storm.

Between my INFJ introspections and Ben’s battle-hardened wisdom (with a surprise guest appearance by his cat jumping mid-recording to catch a train—literally), this talk became more than just an author interview. It’s a moment.

🔥 Plus, stay tuned—because my review and reflections on Hero of Oria are coming soon to the brand new Layeh’s Bookshelf Book Club. Like I told you, this book is physical copy only. I can buy it with your help! Just give me some bricks to my mansion by pledging here or buying some goods at CTRL+INK, the #dkLa! Store, present in many platforms.

Thanks for reading Real Anarchy: A #dkLa! Zine Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

HAILS ALLE!

In this Layeh's Bookshelf Talks of #dkLa! Friends, we venture beyond the veil with JV Hilliard, the epic and dark fantasy author behind The Warminster Saga. JV shares how his military roots and vivid imagination combined to create a sprawling universe filled with intrigue, heroism, and the forces that test us all.

🗡️ We talk about:

The lore and legacy behind The Warminster Saga

What it’s like transforming fantasy literature into an augmented reality video game

The emotional terrain of closing out a beloved book series

His background in American politics

The future of immersive storytelling through AR, graphic novels, and beyond

Whether you’re a seasoned reader of fantasy or just love a good story about grit and creativity, this conversation will pull you into a world you won’t want to leave.

📖 Follow JV Hilliard and enter the realm:

@jvhilliardbooks on X, IG, TikTok and YouTube

📚 The Warminster Saga is available wherever books are sold—Book One, The Last Keeper, is just the beginning.

Posted 20 May at 11:55

In this episode of Layeh’s Bookshelf on #dkLa! Friends, we sit down with Aaron Ryan — bestselling author, acclaimed voice actor, and multi-talented media producer.

Aaron’s sci-fi series Dissonance is currently being adapted for the screen, and his voice has powered campaigns for Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Cadillac, and more.

We talk about his journey through writing, voice acting, and media production, and what it means to live a creative life without boundaries.

🔹 Topics we explore:

* How to turn a passion for storytelling into a multi-platform career

* What it’s like to see your book adapted for TV

* The importance of resilience and reinvention as a creator

* Voice acting tips, behind-the-scenes moments, and creative advice for aspiring artists

🎧 If you’re a writer, artist, or creative soul looking for inspiration — this is the episode for you.

🔗 Connect with Aaron Ryan: https://dot.cards/authoraaronryan

In this episode of #dkLa! Friends, we’re joined by Emily Pabst, an information professional, consultant, and coach who specializes in helping people transform their relationship with social technologies. Emily’s work revolves around leveraging the tools we already have to create more meaningful and efficient systems—whether it's online dating, hiring processes, or strategic decision-making.

With a passion for decision science and human-centered tech design, Emily dives deep into the complexities of human behavior and technology, offering fresh perspectives on how we can adapt our systems to better align with our personal and organizational goals. Her approach centers on using probabilistic thinking to reimagine processes and create personalized solutions in a tech-saturated world.

Tune in to learn:

🔹 How to remake the rules around the social technologies shaping our lives

🔹 Emily’s insights on decision-making and high-reliability design

🔹 Why improving how we use existing tools is key to success

🔹 How to navigate the complexities of technology in today’s world

If you’re looking to transform the way you approach technology and decision-making, Emily’s advice will provide valuable tools for your journey.